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Rupen Janbazian
Rupen Janbazian is the editor of Torontohye Monthly. He is the former editor of The Armenian Weekly and the former director of public relations of the Tufenkian Foundation. Born and raised in Toronto, he is currently based in Yerevan.
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Thank you for this article.
Well, the government has rigged the election anyway because it has bribed and coerced people beforehand.
I wish the poll-watchers well, but it may not make any difference.
Unfortunately, the “Armenian Weekly” has erred (as have others in Armenia) in raising this issue, because the Electoral Code of the Republic of Armenia (June 2016) says: “The fact that the period of election campaign is fixed, shall not restrict the conduct of election campaign during other periods not prohibited by this Code.” And “The campaign — on the voting day and on the day preceding it — through public speeches, public events, as well as through print media, radio companies and television companies (including during satellite broadcasting) carrying out terrestrial on-air broadcasting shall be prohibited.”
We should all be vigilant during the elections, but we should do that by respecting the law. To respect the law, we should first read it. You can do that here: https://www.ecoi.net/file_upload/1226_1468568887_armenia-electoral-code-as-of-30june2016.pdf
CHAPTER 4
ELECTION CAMPAIGN
Article 19. Main principles of election campaign
1. Period of the election campaign shall be the period prescribed by this Code, during which the rules prescribed by this Code on making use of public resources, conducting election campaign and ensuring financial transparency are in place for the purpose of ensuring equal opportunities for the political parties running in elections and candidates.
The fact that the period of election campaign is fixed, shall not restrict the conduct of election campaign during other periods not prohibited by this Code.
The period of election campaign shall start on the 7th day following the last day of the time period prescribed by this Code for the registration of the electoral lists of political parties running in elections and of the candidates and shall expire one day before the voting day. The campaign during that period shall be hereinafter referred to as “the
election campaign”.
The campaign — on the voting day and on the day preceding it — through public speeches, public events, as well as through print media, radio companies and television companies (including during satellite broadcasting) carrying out terrestrial on-air broadcasting shall be prohibited.
What kind of ruling is this?, that ““The fact that the period of election campaign is fixed, shall not restrict the conduct of election campaign during other periods not prohibited by this Code,” I am not a lawyer, but this tells me that the start of the RPA’s campaign is perfectly legal. It does not violate this ruling in any way let along the concern that hanging bannes three days ahead of an understandaing has a bearing on the outcoem of the election. I do not believe for a moment that the voters in Armenia are stupid enough to cast their votes in favor of those whose banner wer hung few days earlier than the rest. Was this ungenetlemanly? Sure is, but c’mmon, this is an election and we know how dsistasteful they get here at home, in U.S.